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Boris Johnson and Michael Gove have challenged David Cameron to "guarantee" that Turkey will never join the European Union by pledging to use the UK's veto to block it.

In an extraordinary challenge to the Prime Minister's authority, the two leaders of the Leave campaign have written to Mr Cameron and demanded he commit to using the British veto, halting accession talks and preventing Turkish citizens getting visa-free travel rights.

The move is designed to focus the campaign on the issue of immigration in the final days ahead of the vote, as Mr Cameron fought yesterday to focus on the economy.

It came as the EU's own migration commissioner said that Turkey now has the "road open" to "join the European family".

Dimitris Avramopoulos said: "The refugee crisis and the implementation of what we agreed is bringing Turkey closer to Europe.

"This crisis is a catalyst for turkey to come closer to Europe."

He added: "Given the contacts I had recently with governmental officials at the highest possible level with Turkey, I can tell you there is a strong will on behalf of Turkey to cooperate with us to meet all necessary benchmarks, not only in the field of the implementation of EU-Turkey statement, but in general."

Mr Cameron has said that Turkey will not join the EU "until the year 3,000" because it is yet to meet many of the important membership criteria.

Boris Johnson and Michael GoveCredit:
Getty

It follows reports that British diplomats in Ankara have discussed the possibility of extending visa-free travel to Turkish citizens as part of a scheme to cope with migrants entering the EU.

As part of the controversial deal the EU had promised 79million Turkish citizens visa-free travel in the Schengen zone - excluding the UK - if it met strict criteria.

However it emerged yesterday that the Turkish Government failed to meet a number of the stipulations, including on anti-terror laws, and will not be able to sign up to the deal, which had been promised this month.

Now in a letter sent to Downing St, Mr Johnson and Mr Gove said: "Despite the rapidly accelerating pace of accession negotiations, IN campaigners maintain that Turkey ‘is not an issue in this referendum and it shouldn’t be.’

"Others assert that the UK has ‘a veto’ on Turkish accession. This claim is obviously artificial given the Government’s commitment to Turkish accession at the earliest possible opportunity."

They demand that Mr Cameron promise to utilise the UK's veto and prevent Turkey from joining the union, as well as blocking possible visa-free travel, adding: "If the Government cannot give this guarantee, the public will draw the reasonable conclusion that the only way to avoid having common borders with Turkey is to Vote Leave and take back control on 23 June."

Migrants arrive in Greece after crossing from TurkeyCredit:
AP

Asked about the possibility of Turkish citizens coming to the UK on a visa-free basis Theresa May the Home Secretary and Philip Hammond the Foreign Secretary said earlier this week: "The Government's policy is, and will remain, to maintain current visa requirements for all Turkish nationals wishing to visit the UK, regardless of what arrangements other Member States in the Schengen area may make with Turkey.

"Schengen visas do not give anyone the right to access the UK."

The Prime Minister has said that Turkish membership will not happen anytime soon.

It came as Michael Gove last night attacked the Remain campaign for suggesting that voters who want to control migration are in the company of Nigel Farage, Donald Trump and Marine Le Pen.

During a BBC Question Time debate Mr Gove was confronted with a letter from Michael Heseltine which suggested that Brexit campaigners are fanning fears about migration and marching to the drum of the three controversial leaders.

In response, Mr Gove said it is wrong for campaigners to accuse the public of holding the same views as Mr Farage, Mr Trump and Ms Le Pen simply for demanding immigration be properly controlled.

Head of French far-right party Front National Marine Le PenCredit:
AFP

He said: "I don't mind being attacked personally but the question that all of us have to answer, and Michael Heseltine saying that, appears to be saying anyone who thinks we should control the numbers coming here - whatever that figure - is automatically an ally of those people.

"I think it is wrong to say to the British people if they want to control the numbers who come here they are in the company of those three.

"There is nothing wrong with saying we value migration but we want to take back control."

The Foreign Secretary was confronted by a Spanish audience member who accused him of sending out the wrong message on EU migration and of suggesting she is "not welcome" in the UK.

Mr Gove said he valued the contribution made by people working in the UK from other countries but that it is essential to "take back control" in order to support the multi-racial and multi-ethnic British society.